Read More

Latest headlines, February 7

Lee Bates, 26, of Halston Close, south west London, who was with McPherson at the time of the attack and punched Mr Hussain, admitted common assault and was sentenced today to a two-year conditional discharge.

Mr Hussain spoke last July of the "agony" he experienced when the acid burned into his flesh and of having to deal with people constantly asking him questions about how he became so scarred.

(Image: Samir Hussain)

He said: "It comes to a point where you have to disconnect from your emotions otherwise I think about it all the time. It's made me a person I don't want to be."

He was operated on at the specialist reconstructive surgery centre at Queen Victoria Hospital, in East Grinstead, and was off work for three months before "forcing" himself to return and move on with his life.

"I had to force myself to go back, I didn't want the attackers to win," he said.

"I had to go back out there, I had bills to pay. It was probably a good thing, because I had to deal with people straight away. But it makes everything generally hard and it is hard to converse. Now (because of the facial injuries) people can't tell if I am joking or smiling or being sarcastic."

(Image: Samir Hussain)

Mr Hussain added that he has had to come with terms with people staring at him in the street.

He said: "I have had it for quite a long time but, for others, it is a big shock because they don't see this every day.

"You have to learn to live with that. I don't have a choice. When I got out to a normal place, like a restaurant, I am a bit, I would not say wary, but it does make me think about other people more."